Hold
by Atomic Lace
Summary: Movieverse. Someone is about to figure out Racer X's secret, someone he never thought he'd see again. Sprixie. Rex-X/OC


Hold

_"I don't like you, but I love you,  
Seems that I'm always thinking of you,  
You treat me badly, I love you madly,  
You've really got a hold on me,  
I don't want you, but I need you,  
Don't want to kiss you, but I need to,  
You do me wrong now, my love is strong now. "_

**Four years prior.**

"…as we stand beside this open grave, in this silent city of the dead, we commit this body to the ground, and we commit the spirit, together with every sacred interest of our hearts, into your keeping, praying that you will deal graciously and mercifully with each of us, until we too shall come to our final resting place…"

Ivie turned away from the sight of the casket and closed her mind to the minister's speech. She'd been glad there hadn't been a viewing ceremony as it was difficult enough to keep the photographers away for the burial, but now the only thing on her mind was seeing him one more time and saying goodbye.

The body, she'd been told, wasn't suitable for anyone to see. They'd said it just like that. The body. As if he wasn't a person, as if his life didn't matter now that it had ceased. Like the fact that Rex Racer was lying in a casket and being lowered into the ground wasn't enough, he wasn't Rex. He was just 'the body'.

This was the man that she'd been in love with since she was fourteen, this was the man that had been there since they were children, this was the man she had planned to spend the rest of her life with, to have children with, but now those dreams had been ripped from her.

Suddenly her lungs felt like they were caving in and her chest was very sore, her previously dry eyes were rapidly immersed in tears and the ground was quickly approaching, until someone caught her and lowered her safely; Mom kneeled to her and held her as the grief took over. Crying turned to sobbing and sobbing turned to screaming. After that she doesn't remember much.

Days after the funeral she sat in her studio, eyes sore and red, looking around at the canvases and photographs and sketch pads and remembering Rex's reaction to each of the pieces. His face was smiling back at her in dozens of different photos, hanging from the line outside of the darkroom, not to mention the sketches and paintings she'd done of him. She could hear his laugh in her ear and feel his arms around her waist as if he was really there.

Her parents would later come home to discover everything completely destroyed and their daughter sitting blankly in the midst of the chaos.

Not long after, Ivie said her goodbyes to the Racer family and moved to a brand new city at the insistence of her parents.

PRESENT DAY

Speed paced up and down the hallway, Inspector Detector was on his way to discuss the latest attack on his life and the identities behind it. Trixie had tried her best to calm him down, and it worked to a certain degree, but the best thing she could do now was sit against the wall following her boyfriend with her eyes.

"Things like this happen, Speed. We all knew about the possibilities." She said softly. For his part, he actually acknowledged her this time and knelt down in front of her, a hard determination in his baby blues.

"We all knew people would be after _me_, Trix. Not you." Trixie rolled her eyes and sat up from the wall. She hated it when he treated her like a glass figurine, always trying to put her in a bubble and as far away from the action as possible. When agitation began to flare in moments like these she reminded herself that his protective nature came straight out of the love he had for her.

"Please, what better way to get to you than to target the people you care about? It's okay that you're worried but you can't let this stress you out so much, we'll just beef up security and call it a night, there's no need for all of this," She murmured, caressing his face. Speed put his hand over hers and leaned in to kiss her, she happily obliged.

Moments later, a throat clearing was heard and Speed and Trixie separated as if they'd been electrically shocked. The couple looked at Inspector Detector sheepishly and rose to their feet.

"It's nice to see you both again, though I wish it were under better circumstances. Shall we discuss this in a more private setting?" The Inspector smirked. Speed nodded and Trixie presented him with the room key. Inspector Detector was last to enter, giving a backwards glance to the hallway in order to catch any prying eyes. Alas, all seemed to be normal.

"Did you get a good look at him?" He asked, getting right down to business. Trixie made herself comfortable on the couch, obviously tired and ready to get back to sleep; Speed crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the arm.

"No. It was too dark and he slipped out pretty fast. Hopped out the window and down the ledge," Speed recounted. The Inspector crossed the room and touched the curtain, peering through the crack and watching the street for any suspicious behavior or evidence of a second try.

"He wasn't much taller than I am and he was really pale," Trixie added. Inspector Detector turned away from the window.

"You say he went straight for you?"

Trixie nodded, "We had already gone to bed but I couldn't sleep so I went to get a glass of water and he was just there. I screamed and then he started to come towards me but Speed got there before he could do anything," she explained as if giving an oral report of the process of photosynthesis. Speed didn't look as bored with the story, his expression was a mix of worry and anger.

"I don't know if there is much more we can do tonight but we're going to move you up two floors, we've installed a camera at every available entrance, even windows, and I'll have a few more guards posted outside. Are you planning on attending the banquet?" Inspector asked referring to the celebratory dinner and art show being hosted by the Theiriot Racing Company that was to be held the following night. Its main purpose was to allow sponsors and racers a chance to mingle while giving TRC plenty of press coverage. Speed had been reluctant to go to any formal get together after the Grand Prix, in hopes that during his absence the photographers would find someone else to mob.

The vacation hadn't even lasted an entire weekend. Pops was getting orders from all over the place and inquiries about whether or not a formal team would be established for Racer Motors. Pops and Sparky had assumed dual roles as his managers and decided that it would be good for the company to scout a few drivers, and what better place then the Theiriot Banquet? So everyone had packed their bags and squished into another hotel. Mom and Pops were across the hall while Sparky and Spritle were next door…in a connecting room. With the door standing wide open. Those were the conditions of Speed and Trixie having the room to themselves.

"We'll be attending," Trixie confirmed, rising off of the couch and standing closer to Speed.

"In that case I'll have Racer X accompany you, just in case. Though I highly doubt your family has any problems defending themselves, but if any malicious intent surfaces it could be helpful to have another pair of hands at the ready," With that the Inspector gave them everyone's new room keys and bid them goodnight.

Speed sighed and pulled Trixie to him, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on the top of her head. He closed his eyes for a moment, seeing only the cloaked body of the intruder and his girlfriend standing not even five feet away. Anything could have happened and he could have lost her.

"Aren't you _ever_ worried about cooties?" Spritle asked from the doorway. Trixie jumped and turned around to face Speed's rambunctious younger brother. Speed suppressed an aggravated groan. Before reprimands could begin Sparky entered the room.

"So, any leads?" He inquired, ruffling Spritle's hair. The younger boy had momentarily forgotten about cooties at the vague mention of danger.

"No but we're supposed to be moving two floors up and into new rooms. So, you guys need to repack everything, Inspector Detector will be back later in the day to collect any evidence. We're thinking it's someone from a rival team, as usual. Spritle go tell Mom and Pops," Speed instructed, handing Spritle his parents' new room keys.

Trixie went to throw her things back in her bag, as well as Speed's while he and Sparky discussed the almost-attack.

* * *

I haven't written fanfiction in years, so forgive me if it's not quite up to SR par. This will center around Rex/Ivie flashbacks, eventual (re)X/Ivie, Speed/Trixie, and a tiny bit of Minx/X. I'll be taking a few liberties with the movieverse and timelines, btw. Next chapter, _in which Speed and Trixie run into a familiar face_, will be posted on Thursday.

Love it? Hate it? Let me know by leaving a review. :)


End file.
